Wheel.



No. 636,953. Patented Nuv. I4, |899.

.1. DONOVAN.

WHEEL.

(Application led Apr. 24, 1899.) (no mmm.) 1 2 shank-sheet #M7 ww.

Patented Nov'. I4, |899.

J. DONOVAN.

W H E E L.

(Application led Apxj. 24, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

fNo Model.)

TH: wams PETER: en, woaumo.. wAsmNorou. n. c.

UNITED- STATES PATENT fFEIcE.

JAMES DONOVAN, OF THREE RIVERS, MICHIGAN.

WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,958, dated November' I4, 1.899.

Application filed April 24, 1899.

To all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, JAMES DONOVAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Three Rivers, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wheels, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to the construction of a wheel and the invention consists particularly in the formation of the body of the wheel, whereby the rim is braced by portions of the body extending in bracing relation to the rim.

The invention further consists in the construction of the hub and in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts, as more fully hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

I have shown the wheel as made from a single disk of metal, as illustrating what I consider the best forni of my invention, and such illustrations are as follows:

Figure l represents the disk from which the complete wheel may be made, and Figs. 2 and 3 are diagram-sections through the blank in process of formation. Fig. 4t is an elevation of the web of the wheel as shown in Fig. 3, showing the lines upon whichthe braces and spokes are formed. Figs. 5 and 6 are diagram-sections through the blank, showing the iinal steps in forming the body of the wheel. Fig. 7 is an enlarged section through the hub portion of the wheel, showing the two sections of the hub before being secured together. Fig. 8 is a section through the hub in its completed form. Fig. 9 is a sectional perspective view of the wheel to illustrate this construction. Fig. 10 is a plan view of the wheel with a portion of the rim broken away to illustrate the construction of the spokes. Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10 of a-slightly-modiiied form of brace.

While I have shown and will describe my wheel as made from a single sheet of metal, I do not desire to be limited to that kind of wheel, as my invention relates more particularly to the construction of the web or body portion of the wheel regardless of whether it is made integral with the rim orl not.

In making my wheel of a single disk I preferably proceed as follows: I take the blank shown in Fig. l, which is a circular disk of serial No. 714,253. No man.)

sheet metal, and bend it upon the dotted line lettered a, first, preferably, perforating it in the center, as vat l), to act as a centering means for the wheel in its further operations. The blank is preferably bent by steps upon the line a first into the shape indicated by the dotted lines c in Fig. 2 and then into the position indicated by full lines in that figure, the body portion being slightly dished, as shown therein. If I desire to have a cylindrical exterior or rim, the rim may be bent into that shape; but in making a car-wheel after getting the blank into the shape shown in Fig. 2 I next may shape the rim into the shape shown in Fig. 3, withv the flange e thereon. It has heretofore been the practice to make light car-wheels, substantially as hereinbefore described, of a single sheet of metal, the wheel when completed being substantially as shown in Fig. 3. This wheel comprises the rim A and the body or Web B. In the use of such wheels it has been found that the overhanging rim being secured to the web only on one side is very apt to break off at the bend or elbow'h, and my invention overcomes this difficulty, besides greatly strengthening the wheel itself. 'I next form the separated spokes C by cutting the blank, as shown in full lines t' 7c in Fig. 4, and turning the flanges thus formed by the cuts within the tread, as shown in Fig. 5. This liange or brace D may then be moved into contact with the inner face of4 the rim by further dishing of the wheel, as shown in Fig. 6. Any suitable hub may then be put upon the wheel and the wheel will be complete. The hub which I prefer I show in Figs. 7 and 8, and it consists of the plate E, adapted to iit upon one side of the central portion of the web, and a corresponding plate F, adapted to fit upon the other side. This plate F has a spindle or skein G, preferably formed integral therewith, and this spindle may be forced through the central portion of the web, and thereby turn up a circular flange H at the inner edge of the web, forming what I call a hubflange. tightly embrace the spindle G and will be forced tightly within the bore through the plate E, and the whole may then be clamped together by a nut I, engaging upon the screwthread upon the end of the skein Gr, asplainly This iiange if thus formed will IOO shown in Fig. 8. This construction of hub saves any riveting and also gives a wide bearing by the hub-flange H upon the hub to resist the strains to which the wheel may be subjected. I may and preferably do form the brace D with a shoulder Zat its inner end, which abuts against a shoulder upon the hub. This gives the brace D a shouldered bearing at opposite ends upon the hub and the rim of the wheel. The wheel thus constructed will be substantially as shown in Fig. 9, and it will be seen that each spoke is in effect an angle-bar comprising one member which connects the hub and the rim and abrace which extends out within the rim, forming, respectively, the parts C and D, shaped from the web.

It is evident that the form may be cousiderably varied and still come within my invention. For instance, the body and web of the wheel may be made in one piece and the rim in another piece secured thereto in any suitable manner, or the shape and form of the brace may be' materially varied-eas, for instance, in Fig. ll I have shown a construetion in which instead ot' cutting out the brace and turning it at an angle within the hub I simply cut the web at the edge and then bend in the material in line with the cut in the shape of a corrugation, as shown at I in that igure, leaving the spokes C as before.

Vhile I have shown my wheel as a carwheel, it is evident that it may be made with a plain rim for any purpose for which it is adapted, or various other modifications may be made in it without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as my invent-ion is- 1. In a wheel, the combination of the rim, the body formed of a sheet-metal web comprising spokes and braces formed of portions of the web between the spokes, extending into bracing relation to the inner face of the rim.

2. In a wheel the combination of a rim, a hub, a body formed of a sheet-metal web, dished, and having integral radial spokes formed therefrom,and braces formed of the integral portions of the web between the spokes bent within the rim to brace the same.

3. In a wheel, the combination of the rim, 5o

the hub, a body formed of a sheetmetal web shaped to form angle-barspokes one member of each spoke connecting the rim tothe hub and the other member extending within and bracing the rim.

4. A sheet-metal wheel formed from a single blank shapedinto aweb andatread formed by turning outward the edge of the blank, and braces for the tread formed by integral portions of the web extending from the web'portion within and in contact with the inner face of the tread. y

5. A sheet-metal wheel formed from a siiigle blank shaped into a web, and a rim formed by turning over the edge of the blank, braces for the rim formed by integral portions of the web struck out under the rim, the Wheel being dished to bring the braces into cont-act with the inner face of the rim.

6. In a wheel, the combination of the rim, of a body formed of sheet metal with a hubflange at its center concentric with the rim, and a hub, comprising a iianged thimble engaging within the hub-flange, and a plate engaging over the hub-flange on the other side, and a nut on the end of the thimble for clamping the web between the flange of the thimble and the plate.

7. In a wheel, the combination of a rim, a hub, a body or web of sheet metal, spokes connecting the hub and the rim, braces struck out between the spokes and turned within the hub, such braces having shouldered engagement at opposite ends with the rim and hub respectively.

S. A sheet-metal wheel formed from a single blank shaped into a web, and a tread formed by turning over the edge of the blank, the web being formed into spokes, and braces extending from the spokes to the inner face of the rim.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES DONOVAN.

Witnesses:

JAMES WHITTEMORE, M. B. ODOGHERTY. 

